Stolen
by AestheticBreezyDoll
Summary: Inspired by Dashboard Confessional’s Stolen. Post-Degeneration. After eleven months since the Harvardville incident, Leon and Claire meet under normal circumstances. Still working for the President, Leon brings Claire as a date at a dinner party. Cleon.


**Stolen**

**By: Aesthetic Breezy Doll**

Disclaimer:I obviously don't own Resident Evil, so don't sue.

[Inspired by Dashboard Confessional's Stolen] Post-Degeneration. After roughly eleven months since the Harvardville incident, Leon and Claire meet under normal circumstances. Still working for the President, Leon brings Claire as a date at a dinner party. Cleon.

I'm back to writing fics! \:D/ but this is my first RE fanfic. :) I just love Cleon. :" I like pairing up Chris with Jill as well. :x They're not here, tho. :-S

I started writing this around a month ago after watching Resident Evil: Degeneration. Since it's summer, I'll try to work on more RE fics [I've got some more ideas ;))] or my current KKM fics. :P

Enjoy!

--

Leon Scott Kennedy stared out of his apartment's balcony at the setting sun. It had almost been a year after the Harvardville incident, and he had not seen Claire Redfield since then. He had said that they should meet under more normal circumstances, but they didn't really get in touch after that. Claire had called a few days ago to say that she was in town, but Leon had been too busy back then to ask her out. Not to mention, anxious.  
It had almost been eight years since he first met her, and though she may have changed as time went by, every time they saw each other, it was like they had spent more than just a few days together. Something clicked between them. He knew that there was more to their relationship than their friendship or teamwork in battling B.O.W.'s and bringing down umbrella. Even more than the butterflies in his stomach every time she smiled, touched him or winked at him. Sure, she was considerably hot, beautiful, and brilliant, but there was something underneath all that that seemed to magnetize him toward her.

_You watch the season pull up its own stakes_

_And catch the last weekend of the last week_

_Before the gold and the glamour have been replaced,_

_Another sun soaked season fades away_

His phone beeps, pulling him out of his thoughts about a certain red-head. Ingrid Hunnigan informs him that the President's family had been invited to an end-of-summer dinner party and he was supposed to ensure their safety throughout the function.

_Word of advice, _read at the end of the text message from Hunnigan, _bring a date, if you don't want to get fired for dating the President's daughter._ Leon shook his head at this. _Actually,_ it continued, _a date __**is**__ required, to be able to blend in better. Just make sure to do you'd do your job. Enjoy, Kennedy._

_A date?_ Leon thinks. _Perfect._

Claire could be his date. They'd catch up with each other, a dinner party _is_ fairly normal, and he'd be able to concentrate on his job if ever something did go wrong. He still would worry about her, though.

Looking for her number in his phonebook, his heart races a bit. He finds it and calls. Before the second ring finishes, Claire picks it up.

"Leon!" She half-yells, obviously surprised.

"Hey, Redfield." Leon greets, feeling a smile on his lips. "How's the convention thing going?"

"It's okay, but terribly boring." She starts to rant, then realizes something. "You called."

"Yeah."

"So, what's up with you?"

"I was wondering if you…" Leon tries to ask, "Can you…"

"Can I what?" Claire asks after a few seconds of silence. He mentally slaps himself and decides on a different approach.

"Would you like to have a few drinks with me?" He finally asks.

"Of course I would." Claire answers, and Leon could swear that he could hear her smile widen in her voice.

_You have stolen my heart_

"I really hoped we could hang out more, since the possibility of us meeting under these circumstances seems so uncommon. And I have to leave in the next few days." She says with a disappointed smile as she and Leon get their drinks in the hotel's bar.

"You know what?" Leon says, toasting his shot glass to hers. "I actually have a dinner party to attend about three days from now."

"Really?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him as he drinks.

"Yeah. It's sort of a job thing, but I'm supposed to bring a 'date' since I'm should be undercover."

Claire slams her empty shot glass at the counter a little too hard as her eyes widen in disbelief.

"What?" Leon asks, laughing a bit at her expression. Claire just grins and laughs along.

"Leonardo Scott Kennedy," she shakes her head a bit before looking back at his eyes. "Are you actually asking me out on a dinner date?"

"Well," Leon starts, smiling at his empty glass as the bartender refills it, "technically, it isn't a date. But I'd like to think of it as our first." He finally looks into her eyes.

"So," He begins, a smirk forming on his lips "Miss Claire Redfield," he formally addresses her just to mock her, "what do you think?"

"I'd love to." She says with a sincere smile on her face.

He and Claire continue to exchange stories about their missions and adventures then before they knew it, their heads start to spin a little too much. After bringing Claire to her hotel room, Leon walks backward as Claire watches from her suite's threshold with silly grins on their faces brought about with too much alcohol. Leon hits the wall at a corner which make them both laugh. He leans against the wall and relishes her look on him. When he turns around to leave with a wave, Claire runs to him.

"Wait!" She calls after him. He notices that her breathing was uneven and her cheeks were flushed with all the gin she had consumed.

_Invitation only grant farewells_

_Crush the best one, of the best ones_

_Clear liquor and cloudy eyed, too early to say goodnight_

"What is it?" He asks, playing with her ponytail.

"You're drunk."

"Yeah." He agrees, laughing.

"You're in no condition to drive." Claire reasons.

"I'm okay." He claims, trying to focus his mind on something else aside from her lips.

"Sleep with me."

Leon's eyes widen a bit in shock. He definitely didn't see this coming.

"I mean," Claire shakes her head to try to put some order. "There's a pull-out bed. You can't go home on your own in this state." With her last word, she slumps forward a bit.

"Whoa!" Leon exclaims, catching her on time and starts carrying her bridal-style to the door.

"And _you_ can't stand up in this state." He jokes, placing her on the bed. Claire giggles and mumbles something incoherent. Her eyes droop as he takes off her shoes. Letting her hair loose on the pillow, he leans forward and gives her a kiss on her forehead. As he turns around, her hand finds his and she whispers "Stay."

--

"Claire, this is Ashley Graham, the President's daughter." Leon heard himself say at the dinner party.

"Ashley, this is Claire Redfield." They shake hands.

"I'll go get some food. You two must have a lot to catch up on." Claire excuses herself and winks at Leon. "It was very nice to meet you." She tells Ashley with a smile. Leon gazes at Claire as she walks away, catching the attention of the other guests with her smile, bright eyes, electric blue gown and red hair. She let it loose for the occasion and had the ends in big curls.

"She's very pretty." Ashley says with a sincere smile after observing Leon watch Claire as she walked to the other side of the room.

Leon vaguely agrees as he remembers the night they had in that hotel. How he had woken up with her snuggled next him on the pull-out bed. How she looked liked in the dark hotel room with just a small ray of light from the small space between two curtains. She had woken up after quite some time, smiling at him contentedly. At that moment, Claire looks at him and gives him that same smile. Leon could feel his heartbeat speed up again.

_You have stolen my heart_

He kisses her bare shoulder from behind as he clasps his hands over hers.

"Hey Gorgeous." He greets as she turns around to face him.

"What is it?" Claire asks, after noticing the Leon had been staring at her for quite some time. _You're very beautiful._ He wanted to say. He felt rather embarrassed though, and decided not to say that.

"I was sort of expecting to see you in a tux, Redfield." He answered jokingly. They both laughed at this.

"Shut up, Kennedy." Claire said, trying to look angry despite their mirth as she elbowed him.

"Oh, you should see your face." He says with a grin.

"What's a matter with it?" She asks, feeling an equally devious smile as she pretends to worry with her hands holding her face.

"It's very lovely." Leon said with a sincere smile, holding her hand over her cheek.

It wasn't what Claire had expected him to say, he realized. With her wide eyes and half open mouth, Leon would have just carried on if she was some other girl. But she was Claire. The only woman he was interested in taking seriously.

"Whatever, Kennedy." She says in an upset manner, looking rather uncharacteristically pissed as she swats his hand away and looks at the other guests.

"What?" He asks, perplexed at her sudden change of mood.

"I bet that's what you told Angela, too."

Leon blinked. "Angela?"

Claire seems to get a hold of herself as she breathes in slowly, turns to him with a smug and says, "How's Angela?"

Leon looks confused at her. "How should I know?"

Claire looks a little surprised. "Oh. I thought you had been dating her. Diving, was it?" She says with a light wry smile.

"I never even liked Angela. I just gave her air. I haven't even seen or talked to her ever since." He explains, looking into her confused blue eyes. Was he seeing a wave of relief in those orbs?

Before Leon could say anything to reassure her, the host clinks a spoon against his champagne glass to get everyone's attention. Claire and Leon faced the host but Leon could not concentrate on what he was saying. Leon tilted his head to study Claire's face. From the different expressions she showed in her face every five seconds, he could tell that she wasn't listening to the host, either. Then it hit him.

Did Claire just act jealous about Angela? Could she be attracted to him in the way that he was to her?

Leon's head feels lighter as he toasts to Claire and the rest of the guests at the end of the host's speech. He continues to look at Claire as they both drink.

_And from the bar room floor we are a celebration_

_One good stretch before our hibernation_

_Our dreams assured and we are, we'll sleep well_

When the silence grows a little uncomfortable, they watch some guests go to the center of the room to dance as the song _I've got a crush on you_ by Rod Steward starts with an overture by the band. Claire quickly faces him, sending her red curled hair over her left shoulder.

"Dance with me." She begs with a grin. He could only chuckle at her expression.

"I don't dance." He states.

"But you do know how." She nags.

"Sadly, yes."

"Then dance with me!" She pleads, tugging at his hand. He just shakes his head with a smile.

"I can't. Sorry."

"This is your last chance, Kennedy." She threatens with a carefree smile, letting go of his hand. He smiled at how the lyrics _you were so persistent, you wore down my resistance_ fit so well with her and bowed a bit.

"My lady, could I please have this dance?"

"It's already yours." She answers, putting her hand in his and allowing him to lead her to the floor.

Dancing made them forget about everything. It felt like they had time traveled to the past where life was very simple and easy. No pharmaceutical companies, mutants, or biohazard warfare to worry about. Just Leon and Claire dancing in a tuxedo and a gown in a ballroom along with other older guests.

_You have stolen_

_You have stolen my heart_

When he rests his hand on her hip, Leon feels himself smile genuinely at her after twirling her around. She smiles back, but this was different. It was brighter than any of her other smiles. He mentally realizes that she knew exactly what he needed, to be free of the stress and lethargy his work has placed him in. She always did. That's why she decided to change her jealous accusations to a playful banter earlier.

As she swirls around again, he notices how graceful she is, despite her seemingly boyish attitude. Comparing her to all the other girls he had met over the years, no one else measures up to her. Her physique was not too thin, neither was it buff, but she was obviously stronger than most to be able to defeat tyrants and other mutants. Proportional and natural, she makes men's heads turn without being high-maintenance. She isn't like any other girl. Simple, honest and caring. Yes, she was all of those. At the same time, she was so much more.

_I watch you spin around in the highest heels_

_You are the best one, of the best ones_

_We all look like we feel_

"Say something," Claire says, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Have I said," Leon starts, feeling brave with the alcohol he had consumed earlier. "That you look absolutely amazing tonight?"

"Leon…"

"Actually, you always look wonderful, but you should really put your hair down more often." He adds, smiling mischievously at her.

Claire tries to think of a way to compliment him back as he continues to look expectantly at her. It felt like a challenge, that they had to say something back at each other quickly and effectively. She was definitely up for a little game to make up for the earlier awkwardness.

"You know what's wrong with you?" She says with a little frown on her face.

"What?" Leon asked, feeling a little worried that she might get mad again.

Claire shakes her head and looks at the other couples dancing before looking back into his eyes with a serious expression.

"Nothing." She says and forms a smug after getting the reaction that she wanted.

Leon feels his lips curl up in an equally haughty smile.

"I meant what I said." He said, looking sincerely modest at her. Claire smiles softly.

"So did I." She says as she moves away from him as he twirls her again.

With all the champagne, dancing and music, Leon starts to feel his resolve weaken as he stares into her bright blue orbs. As the song was coming to an end, he twirls her for the last time. When she came back to his arms, he savors the feel of her lips against his. Claire seemed to be taken aback at first, but later responds as her hands slide up to his shoulders.

_You have stolen my_

_You have stolen my heart_

As they separate for air, Leon rubs her cheek with his thumb and stares into her sapphire eyes.

"Claire?" He asks, his voice a little bit huskier than usual.

"Yes?" She answers, equally breathless with her arms still around his neck.

"Stay." It sounded demanding to him, so he tried to rephrase it. Claire's eyes widen a bit in response.

"Please stay, with me." He requests, his eyes pleading. Claire smiles a small smile and leans closer to his face.

"I've been waiting for you to say that." She whispers against his lips before giving him a sweet kiss.

**~end~**

What do you think? :D Please Review! =)

Please make Cleon fics as well! I need my Cleon fix, too. ;)


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